Attachment for front axles of motor-vehicles.



s. 'w. GRAYSON. ATTACHMENT FOR FRONT AXLES 0F MOTOR VE HICLES.

I APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1916. 1,249,069.

Patented Dec. 4,1917.

km a s'rnwaatr lwQcnaxsOn, or srranrsnunc, MARYLAND.

ATTACHMENT Foe rnon'r axnns or Moron-VEHICLES.

Specification of Iietterslatent. Patented Dec. 4:, 1917..

App1ication filed. March 10, 1916. Serial No. 83,322.

To all whomit may concern."

. Be it known that I, STEWART W. Gnarson,

I designed to strengthen said axle where the radius rods andspring-shackle bolts are connected thereto. i i l I i j. i

V The prime object of the present invention is to provide means,in theform of a pair of oppositely arranged members, which are secured to theaxle, the radius rods and spring- 7 shackle bolt, which will eliminatethe danger of said rods and springeshackle bolt becoming detached fromsaid axle.

Further objects will readily .be apparent from the following detaildescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, whereinis illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention. r a In'thedrawings i Figure 1, is affragmentary plan: view of the front portion ofa motor vehicle, show= ing the application of myinvention.

Fig. 2, is an; enlarged elevationillustrat ingmy improvement in detail.

i Fig. 3, is a detail sectional view, taken on the line 3-3, of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4, is a horizontal-sectionalview taken on the line H, of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5, is a detailsectional view taken on the line 5;-5, of Fig.

Fig. 6, 1s a view similar to Fig. 5, showing a slightly modified form ofsecuring means. l

Fig. 7, is a view in front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 6,and- 1 l Fig. 8, is a sectional view howing a still further modifiedform of securing means.

In the manufacture of Ford motor vehicles, transversesprin suspension isuti-,

lized, and the front, ax e is secured to the chassis by a pair of radiusrods. These rods and the ends of the frontsprings are fastened to theaxle, adjacent the spindle-ends thereof, by a spring-shackle bolt whichis pressed downwardly through the axle and normally lies in a verticalposition. The radius rods which are approximately horizontal, have theirforward ends bent in- ,wardly, reduced slightly in diameter, and

mally hold these rods in firmengagement with the axle. l The purpose ofthese radius rods is .to prevent a twisting movement of the front axlewhen the motor vehicle is in motion, thereby increasingthe stability ofthe steering mechanism, which is, as usual, fastened to the front axle.

In actual practice it has been found when driving the motor vehicleoverexceedingly rough roads, or through deep mud, the strain imparted tothe radius rods is such, that one often breaks or snaps off, at thepoint to which it is secured to thespring shackle bolt, and in frequentcases the latter breaks when it is secured to the .front axle. When thisoccurs, it causes the front axle to swing away from the vehicle,thereby'dis abling thefsteering mechanism to such an extent that controlof the vehicle is lost and the lives of the occupants are endangered.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denotecorresponding parts in all the views, I have illustrated'the usual formof structure employed in assembling the above-mentioned elements duringthe process of manufacturing the Ford from the spring-shackle bolts 13and pass downwardly through the vertical openings 17 formed in the axle14, as shown,and nuts 18 secure said bolts to said axle. Immediatelyabove the shanks 16, the bolts 13 i have formed thereon bosses 21, whichengage the upper surface of the axle. The web 19 of the axle is providedwith enlarged portions 20, and it is through these portions 1 that theopenings 17 are formed.

My invention consists of two sets of oppositely arranged members," whichare constructed to conform to the shape of the axle 14 above described,where the radius rods 10 and the spring-shackle bolts 13 are joinedthereto. I have illustrated the precise outline of the axle to which mydevice is applied and it will be seen that the outer end,

of said axle. As both sets are similar in inventionto the axle 14.

l for the other.

construction,

a description of one will suflice I will'now proceed to'describe theapplication of the'preferred embodimentof my- The member 22 the outermember, while the member 23 is the inner member. These members arepreferably constructed from a casting of iron, steel or any othersuitable materiahand com rise a body portion 26, having an enlargement27 for engagement with the channels 28 formed in the axle 14, which axleis of the usual I-beam construction. Oppositely arranged pairs of cars29 and 30 and upwardly extending enlarged portions 31 and 32 are formedintegral with the body portions 26.

The enlarged portions 31' and 32 are provided with alining openings 33and 34, the opening 33 surrounding the nut 15, while the radius rod 10passes throughthe opening 34. These openings are of a size to snuglyengage the nut 15 and the radius rod 10 respectively, the object beingto prevent all lateral movement of the latter parts, should thespring-shackle bolt or the radius rod become broken or disengaged fromthe axle 14. By referring to Fig. 3, the portions 31 and 32 of themembers 22 and 23 respectively, snugly engage the bolt 13.

Thus shouldthe nut 18 become disengaged from said bolt these memberswill prevent the bolt from being withdrawn from the axle.

New, in order to securely attach the members,22 and23 to the axle 14, Iprovide the cars 29 and 3.0. with alining openings 35, throughwhich areadapted to be passed bolts 36, the heads of said. bolts being seated inthe outer member, while nuts 37 bear against the inner member, as shown.This arrangement tends to give the device a neat appearance as seen fromthe front. The members 22 and 23, thus secured, are prevented from anymovement whatsoever with respect to the axle 14, by reason of the factthat the bolts 36 firmly clamp the members to the side walls of theaxle,'while the enlargements 27 formed on the body portions 26 engage inthe oppositely arranged channels 28 of the axle 14. Itecesses38 forengagement with the portion 20 of the web 19, as shown in Fig. 4 of thedrawings, permit of snug engagement of the members with the axle. Thisstructure also prevents all lateral movement of the relative parts andthe members arethereby in keyed relation with the axle. l

Set screws 39 are passed through suitable threaded openings in theportion 31 of the front member 22, and engage the nut 15, while similarset screws 40 are passed through threaded openings in the portion 32 ofthe rear member 23 and engage with the radius rod 10 adjaeentthespring-shackle bolt'13.

New, should either the nut18 become dis engaged from the shank 1650f thespring shackle boltl3 or the samebecoine fractured in any manner, themembers'22 and '23 "will prevent separation of the spring-shackle'boltfrom the axle. Likewise,'theset-screws prevent the nut 15 from/becomingdisengaged from the end 11 of the radius rod 10,

while the set-screws 40 will retain'the radius rod in position shouldthe same become tractured adjacent the spring-shacklebolt 13. It may bementioned that the radius rod 10 is somewhat'weakat the point'shown at(1 Fig. 3, and often when the vehicle isimoving, over exceedingly roughplaces, jolts cause said rod to snap.

In Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawing's', I have shown a slightly modifiedform of securing means. In lieu ofthe bolts 36 above referred to,'themembers22 and 23' are provided with notches 41 adapted toreceive thelegs 42 of a U-shaped bolt..43,the;legs being passed through openings,in a plate 44 and nuts 45are secured thereto. i

In Fig. 8,. I have shown an opening 46 formed in the axle 14 and aliningwith 7 opening 47 inthe oppositely'arranged'memthese openings and a nut49 is screwed thereon. In'this instance the ears 29 and 30 are omitted;otherwise the structure is the same as above described. a

In attaching my device, I remove the nut 15 from the end 11 of theradius rod 10. The latter is then withdrawn from theopening 12 of thespring-shackle bolt 13 asuffi cient' distance to permit the member 23being inserted therein. In this operation, the reduced end of the radiusrod is passed through the opening 34 formed in the enlarged portion 32'of said member. The

radius rod is then replaced in the springshackle bolt and the nut 15secured thereon.

The outer member 22 is then slipped into positionftheopening 33 thereofengaging the nut 15 and surrounding the same,"as

shown on Fig. 3. Both members are now the set screws 39 and 40 mayeither be entirely removed from the enlargements 31 and 32 respectively,or else unscrewed sufliciently to permit the members 22 and 23 toreadily be positioned. When, however, these members have been secured tothe axle, the set screws are tightened, thereby completing theoperation.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided an exceedinglysimple device which will. prevent undue strain being imparted to theradius rod, spring-shackle bolt and axle, where they are joined, whenthe motor vehicle is moving over rough roads or strikes an obstruction,as often occurs. It is to be understood, however, that I am not limitedto the precise form of device shown, and that various changes may bemade in the form and proportionof the various elements, withoutdeparting from the spirit of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim i 1. Thecombination with avehicle axle having a radius rod and spring-shackle bolt secured theretoof reinforcing means embracing the said axle at the point of connectionwith the radius rodand "springshackle bolt said reinforcing means beingCopies of this patent may be obtained for secured to said axle,'saidradius rod and said spring-shackle bolt.

2. The combination with the axle of a vehicle having connected thereto aradius rod and spring-shackle bolt of reinforcing means thereforcomprising a pair of oppositely arranged members embracing the saidradius rod and spring-shackle bolt at the point of connection with thesaid axle and acting as a reinforcement for the radius rod,spring-shackle bolt and the axle.

3. The combination with a vehicle axle having a radius rod andspring-shackle bolt secured thereto, of a pair of oppositely arrangedclamping members engaging in keyed relation with said axle and securedto said radius rod and said spring-shackle bolt.

4. The combination with the axle of a vehicle having a radius rod andspring shackle bolt secured thereto, of reinforcing means thereforcomprehending elements engaged in keyed relation with the axle, radiusrod and spring-shackle bolt, and means holding said elements relative toeach other.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day ofMarch,1916.

STEXVART W. GRAYSON.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,- Washington,D. C.

